The present invention relates generally to storage and shipping containers and, more particularly, to a foldable container formed from one or more foldable panels with foldable flaps.
Dry materials such as powdered, granulated, or pelletized chemicals are commonly used in many industrial and commercial applications. Such materials are typically shipped to a location for use and stored on-site until needed. The materials are commonly stored and shipped in generally rigid containers made of metal. Metal containers are generally strong and durable to prevent leakage of the materials, but are generally heavy and thus difficult to handle and more costly to ship.
There are known in the art a number of generally lightweight, foldable containers for general use. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,851 to Rabby discloses a two-piece container for carrying heavy loads. The container is hexagonal and has a bottom formed by flaps that extend downward from the container sides and are foldable across the open bottom of the container. The container sides have register slots at lower portions thereof through which extensions of the bottom flaps can pass. The extensions can be folded to form saddles to retain the extensions in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,736,485 to Rabby discloses a box with a readily attachable end closure. A hexagonal container has sides forming open lower and upper ends with vertical slots in the sides near the lower and upper ends. A bottom end closure wall and a top end closure wall each have flaps connected thereto, each flap having a height sufficient to fold around one of the container ends and along the outside of the container sides to the slots. Securing tabs extend from the flaps, and locking tabs extend from the securing tabs, with the locking tabs and securing tabs sized to pass through the vertical slots, and the locking tabs lock the flap in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 518,898 to Schmidt discloses a tubular paper box. The box has two opposing hexagonal flaps extending from and foldable over each box end. Four tetragonal flaps extend from and can be folded over each end, with two of the tetragonal flaps positioned on either side of each hexagonal flap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,885 to Negus, Sr. discloses a polygonal bulk container having a polygonal bottom panel that is folded over the open bottom of the container. The polygonal bottom panel is glued to a reinforcing square tab and a web construction having tabs and extensions.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,585,505 to Mclndoe discloses a carton comprising a body part with a foldable top end flap extending from an upper portion thereof and a foldable bottom end flap extending from a lower portion thereof. A plurality of projection flaps extend from the body part and the ends such that they can be folded over the ends for reinforcement of the carton.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,497,671 to Crowell discloses a fiber corrugated board barrel formed from a single piece of corrugated board folded at creases in the board into a hexagonal or octagonal shape. The bottom has edge flanges and connector strips for securing to the barrel.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,849 to Vinney discloses a hexagonal, corrugated shipping container comprising six panels folded into a hexagonal shape. Top and bottom closure members have tabs for securing to the panels.
Foldable containers provide the advantage of being lightweight and generally easier and more efficient to handle and ship, as well as requiring less storage space when in the folded configuration. None of these foldable containers, however, have proven entirely suitable for storing and shipping materials such as powdered chemicals.
Accordingly, what is needed but not found in the prior art is a container that is strong and durable to prevent leakage of the materials, yet lightweight for ease and efficiency in handling and shipping, and foldable for requiring less storage space when in the folded configuration.
Generally described, the present invention provides a container having a foldable sheet of material and a lid. The sheet has a plurality of panels that are hingedly connected together to permit folding thereof into a polygonal shape. In a preferred embodiment, eight regular panels and an overlap panel can be provided that are foldable into an octagonal shape.
The sheet has at least one and preferably two male flaps each hingedly connected to at least one of the panels. The male flaps have a head portion and a neck portion. The sheet also has at least one and preferably two female flaps each hingedly connected to at least one of the panels. The female flaps have ends with at least one and preferably two slots in each of the ends. The sheet may further have at least one and preferably four intermediate flaps each hingedly connected to one of the panels interposed between one of the male flaps and one of the female flaps.
To form the container, the sheet is folded into the polygonal shape, with the panels thereby forming the sides of the container. The intermediate flaps are folded over the open bottom end of the container, then the female flaps are folded over the intermediate flaps. The male flaps are then folded over female flaps and extended through the female flap slots, with the male flaps head portions interlocked with the slots.
Turning now to the top of the container, at least one and preferably four of the panels have a panel opening, with the portion of the panels between the panel opening and the panel ends forming a panel handle portion. The lid has a lid panel and at least one and preferably four lid flaps hingedly connected thereto.
Each of the lid flaps has a first section hingedly connected to the lid panel, with each first section having a lid opening defined therein and a lid handle portion adjacent the opening. Second, third, and fourth sections can be provided and hingedly connected together. Each of the lid flaps has an end section hingedly connected to the fourth section. Each end section has a main portion and at least one locking tab hingedly connected thereto. The end section can be extended through the aligned panel and lid openings only when the locking tab is folded over the main portion.
To assemble the lid onto the folded sheet to form the container, the lid flaps and the locking tabs are folded up and the lid panel is inserted into the folded sheet so that the panel and lid openings are aligned. The second and third sections are then folded over and down the folded sheet, the end section is inserted through the aligned openings, and the locking tabs are unfolded. The lid is now securely attached to the folded sheet to form the container. The container can be picked up and otherwise handled by using the aligned handle portions and the aligned openings as handles.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are discussed or apparent in the following detailed description of the invention, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.